how to catch a spiny purple reef lobster??

[ryguy886]

So I was at my LFS last week and they had just released their latest invert order after its quarantine period. I was intrigued by a small spiny purple reef lobster and the LFS assured me that it would be reef safe and not harm my fish as long as he was well fed....

So here I am less than a week later and I have lost a fire goby and my yellow tang has lost almost all of his fins!!! I want this damn lobster gone!! Problem is I do not want to comletely break down the tank and aquascape to do so. Is there any way to trap, catch, kill this thing before he wipes out my entire tank???

BTW - I have spot fed him a raw shrimp or a silverside every day and I watched him eat it. So I know he is well fed like the LFS told me to do.

Me and my impulse buys!! I really need to stop doing that!

Thanks for any advice

Ryan

 

[biecacka]

Maybe a food trap of some sort. Not sure but I bet someone can chime in w more info
Corey

 

[Xadieu]

So I was at my LFS last week and they had just released their latest invert order after its quarantine period. I was intrigued by a small spiny purple reef lobster and the LFS assured me that it would be reef safe and not harm my fish as long as he was well fed....

So here I am less than a week later and I have lost a fire goby and my yellow tang has lost almost all of his fins!!! I want this damn lobster gone!! Problem is I do not want to comletely break down the tank and aquascape to do so. Is there any way to trap, catch, kill this thing before he wipes out my entire tank???

BTW - I have spot fed him a raw shrimp or a silverside every day and I watched him eat it. So I know he is well fed like the LFS told me to do.

Me and my impulse buys!! I really need to stop doing that!

Thanks for any advice

Ryan

are you talking about the blue ranger lobster?

 

[ryguy886]

no it is a purple reef lobster.

 

[ryguy886]

I have a bottle in the tank right now with the top cut off and inverted and a raw shrimp inside. The lights are off except for the moon lights and he isn't even interested. Maybe I will be surprised in the morning and he will be in the bottle? I would even be happy if he got the shrimp out of the bottle because at least I would know he knows where the food is.

 

[fishgate]

 

[cichlid nutz]

Once you do get him out of there, please remember that you LFS gives bad advice. I am not saying all LFS, simply this one.

You may have to break it down to get him out. I had a friend with a 400 gallon that someone gave him a spiny for a gift and he did not research and put him in there.

 

[Recliner]

I have a large purple reef lobster in my tank and he's never bothered any live fish. When feeding my serpent starfish I did see it pinch a leg once, but no damage done.
I'm guessing you will need to do a complete tear down to get it

 

[ryguy886]

Yeah, I think you guys are right! I am going to attempt a capture for a few more days, then it may be a lost cause!

 

[crossi92]

Interesting, I had one in my last reef tank for a year, never bothered a soul. I have actually been wanting to get another for my current tank.